The Roman Baths At Bath

What To Expect On Your Visit To The Roman Baths

Roman Baths At Bath
Roman Baths At Bath

The Roman Baths at Bath - Official Web Site


Roman Baths Overview

The Roman Baths at Bath are arguably the single biggest attraction for visitors coming to Bath. If you visit as part of a tour group the Roman Baths will normally be included in your itinerary.


The Baths are at the very centre of Bath only about 5 minutes walk from the train and bus stations. Tour buses drop off very close to the Roman Baths behind Bath Abbey. The Roman Baths are in the centre of Bath and its shopping centre, you can walk to all the other attractions in Bath within minutes.

Why Go To The Roman Baths?

Around Britain's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water.

You will see the water's source and walk where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements and of course see the baths themselves.

You are provided with an audio tour device with admission so you can visit at your own pace.

How Long To Budget For Visit & Tour Logistics

The Baths can get very crowded, especially in the peak summer months. Most of the coach tours from London start arriving around lunch time and through the afternoon. If you're visiting independently its thus quite a good idea to make for the Baths early morning as soon as you arrive.


Entrance to Roman Baths
With Bath Abbey In Background

At the peak of summer the Baths are open in the evening, another good time for the independent visitor.


An audio tour is part of the admission price. This is available in many languages. You simply key in the number of the room or place you are in and a full commentary is given. There are many optional commentaries within some commentaries that go into great detail about individual items.

For the average person you will be in the Baths around an hour or less. If you listen to every possible commentary on the audio device it could extend to perhaps 90 minutes.


You have to follow a defined route through the complex.

Unusually, the highlight for many is right at the start. Most photos you see are from the terrace looking down into the Baths, (like the one at the top of the page). The Terrace is the first place you come to on the tour route.


A lot of the Roman Baths extend under the modern ground level, beneath adjacent streets and squares, so many visitors are surprised when they discover just how big the site really is. You then descend through the complex from the terrace, finishing in the Pump Rooms where of course there is the obligatory gift shop.

Pump Rooms

Long after the Romans, Bath became a very fashionable place to hang out, (see the Georgian Bath link right). The architecture and many of the attractions at Bath originate from this time when high society decamped to Bath..

The Pump rooms relives this golden age. Although physically in the same building as the Roman Baths has a separate entrance, very close to the entrance of the Baths.


Pump Room

If you don't want to eat in the Pump Rooms you can still enter.

There is a window which anyone can enter and view the steaming Roman Baths below free of charge.

You can also take a glass of drinking water from the springs here for a very small fee - the taste is an acquired one.


The restaurant in the Pump Room provides you with an opportunity to relive those refined times of old. English food served in elegant surroundings with linen tablecloths, table service, fresh flowers. Fresh food prepared on the premises, cooked to order using local produce.

The restaurant is open daily for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. The Pump Room Trio plays every day, (violin, cello and piano) throughout the year to add to your enjoyment while having morning coffee or afternoon tea in the Pump Room.

Summary of Most Popular Guided Tours From London 2013
Including Stonehenge
Stonehenge Afternoon Tour PR £35 Full Size Bus Stonehenge only. Afternoon tour leaving lunchtime. Daily.
Stonehenge & London Sights PR £49 Full Size Bus Morning tour of London on red London bus. Afternoon tour Stonehenge. Daily.
Stonehenge & Bath PR £45 Full Size Bus Admission Stonehenge afternoon in Bath. Daily.
Stonehenge & Bath IF £54 Small Group Admission Stonehenge + Roman Baths at Bath. Saturdays only.
Stonehenge & Bath AN £49 Full Size Bus Admission Stonehenge + Roman Baths at Bath. Daily.
Windsor - Stonehenge - Bath PR £71 Full Size Bus Admission Windsor, Stonehenge + Pub lunch. Flexible time Bath after tour. Daily
Windsor - Stonehenge - Bath IF £99 Small Group Admission Stonehenge, Roman Baths, but not Windsor. Mon, Wed,Fri and Sat.
Windsor - Stonehenge - Lacock - Bath PR £88 Midi Size Bus Admission Windsor, Stonehenge + Pub lunch at Lacock included - Not Tues+Sat
Windsor - Stonehenge - Oxford EE £79 Full Size Bus Admissions to Windsor Catle, Stonehenge, Walking Tour Oxford. Daily
Salisbury - Stonehenge - Avebury IF £99 Small Group Admission Stonehenge+Salisbury Cathedral. Tour Avebury. Wednesdays
Lacock - Bath - Stonehenge IF £99 Small Group Admission Stonehenge + Roman Baths at Bath. Walking tour Lacock. Tuesdays.
Stonehenge - Glastonbury - Avebury IF £99 Small Group Admission Stonehenge, Glastonbury Abbey. Fridays.
Salisbury - Stonehenge - Bath EE £74 Full Size Bus Admissions to Salisbury Cath, Stonehenge, Roman Baths. Daily
Stratford - Cotswolds - Stonehenge - Bath PR £80 Full Size Bus Admission Stratford, Stonehenge, Tour Cotswolds Tues,Fri,Sun
Oxford - Cotswolds - Bath - Stonehenge IF £179 2 Day small group with hotel Includes admissions, walking tours and good hotel. Every Weekend
Stonehenge Special Access Tours
Stonehenge - Lacock - Bath PR £99 Various Special access admission at Stonehenge plus Roman Bath
Stonehenge - Salisbury or Avebury AN £79 Various Special access at Stonehenge plus either Avebury or Salisbury
Stonehenge From Salisbury   £85 Various Evening Special access at Stonehenge from Salisbury
Cotswolds, Oxford, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwick Castle
Oxford - Stratford - Warwick Castle PR £71 Full Size Bus Admission Christ Church Oxford and Shakespeare's Birthplace + Warwick
In depth Cotswolds + Lunch - Stratford PR £79 Full Size Bus With lunch + Cream Tea in Cotswolds, Walking Tour Stratford. Tues, Thur, Sat
In depth Cotswolds + Blenheim Palace EE £79 Full Size Bus With lunch. Summer Only (May to Sep) Fri, Sat,Sun
Oxford - Cotswolds - Stratford IF £99 Small Group Guided tours of Oxford, Stratford, Burford, Boutron On Water. Thursday & Sunday
Oxford - Cotswolds - Stratford AN £75 Small Group Guided tours of Oxford, Stratford, Cream T Cotswolds. Daily.
Oxford and Stratford AN £50 Full Size Bus Includes Anne Hathaway's Cottage.
Tues+Thurs+Sat+Sun
Windsor - Stonehenge - Oxford EE £79 Full Size Bus Admissions to Windsor Catle, Stonehenge, Walking Tour Oxford. Daily
Stratford - Stonehenge - Bath PR £80 Full Size Bus Admission Stratford, Stonehenge, Roman Baths. Tues,Fri,Sun
Oxford - Cotswolds - Bath - Stonehenge IF £179 2 Day small group with hotel Includes admissions, walking tours and good hotel.Every Weekend
Canterbury, Greenwich Thames River Cruise, Leeds Castle & Dover
Leeds - Canterbury - Dover - Greenwich PR £71 Full Size Bus Admission Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Lunch Dover. Greenwich tour+cruise.
Scotland, Amsterdam & Paris
Day Trip Paris - Train & Metro/River Pass PR £119 Eurostar Train Day return on Eurostar train. Paris public transport pass and Seine cruise.
Escorted Day Trip To Paris PR £149 Eurostar Train Pickup from hotel. Eurostar day return. Fully escorted tour of Paris
Luxury Day Trip To Paris PR £209 Eurostar Train Pickup from hotel. Eurostar day return. Tour + Champagne lunch on Eiffel Tower.
3 day Weekend Break In Paris By Bus IF £229 Coach 2 nights in Paris with full sightseeing.
Optional Versailles trip.
3 day Weekend Break In Paris By Train IF £239 Eurostar Train 2 nights in Paris with full sightseeing.
Optional Versailles trip.
3 Day Weekend Break In Edinburgh IF £219 Train 2 nights in Edinburgh with guide, optional trips to Highlands. Every Friday.
3 Day Weekend Break In Amsterdam IF £229 Coach 2 nights in Amsterdam with guide and full sightseeing programme.
IF - International Friends (Uses 16 seat minibuses)
AN - Anderson Tours		 EE - Evan Evans Tours
PR - Premium Tours